Michigan House Republicans just passed a religious “license to discriminate” bill, which would allow anyone to refuse service to anyone and claim their “religious beliefs” require them to discriminate.

Why is NOBODY talking about the bill that just passed in Michigan? It’s horrible, and just another way for the Michigan government to systematically oppress the LGBT community.

"For example, under the Religious Freedom law, a pharmacist could refuse to fill a doctor’s prescription for birth control, or HIV medication. An emergency room physician or EMT could refuse service to a gay person in need of immediate treatment. A school teacher could refuse to mentor the children of a same-sex couple, and a DMV clerk could refuse to give a driver’s license to a person who is divorced."

I’m tired of being a second class citizen. No wonder that LGBT people are fleeing Michigan.

I have severe asthma and other medical conditions that might need immediate care. I could easily die because of this bill.

“I see a vision of a great rucksack revolution thousands or even millions of young Americans wandering around with rucksacks, going up to mountains to pray, making children laugh and old men glad, making young girls happy and old girls happier, all of ‘em Zen Lunatics who go about writing poems that happen to appear in their heads for no reason and also by being kind and also by strange unexpected acts keep giving visions of eternal freedom to everybody and to all living creatures.” ― Gary Snyder

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Says State Will Not Recognize 323 Marriages Performed Saturday

Equality Michigan criticizes Governor for aligning himself with the Attorney General’s crusade against marriage equality in Michigan

LANSING – Just minutes ago, while speaking to the press, Michigan’s Governor, Rick Snyder, announced that the State of Michigan would not recognize the 323 marriage licenses issued to LGBT couples this past Saturday until the current appeal is concluded. While acknowledging that the licenses were filed lawfully, he said the state would not extend any state rights to those families. The licenses were issued during a one-day window between Judge Friedman’s verdict striking down Michigan’s ban on marriage equality and the appellate court issuing a stay on the verdict.

Yesterday, Equality Michigan, Michigan Legislators, and LGBT community leaders spoke with the press about the recent DeBoer v. Snyder marriage equality case and presented over 14,000 signatures on a petition - http://eqmi.us/EndAppeal - asking Governor Snyder and Attorney General Schuette to drop their appeal to the DeBoer v. Snyder case. The petition now has over 17,000.

Earlier this week, East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett and Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum sent a request to US Attorney General US Attorney General Eric Holder that he declare the close to 300 marriages performed on Saturday as “lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits.” The US Attorney General’s office has not yet responded. A copy of the letter (PDF) is available online: http://eqmi.us/ByrumTriplett324

"Equality Michigan finds it despicable that a Governor claiming to stand for families, children, and the economy would side with his out-of-touch Attorney General and continue this wasteful crusade to harm Michigan families. The DeBoer-Rowse family and their legal team will continue to defend our families in court, and the efforts by people like East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett and Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum to get the government to recognize these marriages will not be forgotten. Equality Michigan calls on the Governor to end the second-class treatment of LGBT families in Michigan and the executive branch’s attack on marriage equality."

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Equality Michigan has worked passionately for over 20 years to achieve full equality and respect for all people in Michigan regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. For more information, visit www.equalitymi.org.

A copy of the letter from East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett and Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum to US Attorney General US Attorney General Eric Holder is available online (PDF):http://eqmi.us/ByrumTriplett324